'MIND, BODY & amp; SOUL'

'MIND, BODY & amp; SOUL'
Joss Stone
(S-Curve)
ssss Oh, what feeling there is during "Mind, Body & amp; Soul," Joss Stone's follow-up to her debut EP, a compilation of soulful covers.
The not-so-pop singer finds the emotional climax in every song on the 14-track disc. Her husky voice is both eloquent and vulnerable, more Taylor Dane than Mariah Carey. And Stone's vocal acrobatics are intentional, not showy. This -- combined with her honest lyrics -- creates an atmosphere of authenticity.
"Mind, Body & amp; Soul" recalls '70s soul, but it isn't a trip to the past. There are musical and lyrical traces of 2004 from sleek R & amp;B beats to gratuitous iPod references.
"You Had Me," the most upbeat track on the CD, is a sassy disco-ish rallying call against a moocher and a scumbag, probably best played while dizzyingly tossing your ex's stuff out the nearest window. A plucky harp adds another dimension to "Snakes and Ladders." "Less is More" is hypnotic, infused with reggae rhythms and a sturdy chorus.
The oh-so-mature lyrics beat anything an "American Idol" could conjure. Probably because Stone is English. She chants about love and vodka, which is surprising considering she's only 17. But with behind-the-scenes help from soulster Betty Wright and her own mum, Stone is free to travel outside PG-13 territory.
However, Stone lyrically skips during faint but frequent references to stone. You know, rocks. That's right, Stone tell us in song that she's "not made of stone" and doesn't want "no stones outside my window." It's a trite reminder that Stone has room to grow.
The sheer power of her voice and command of it make such small mistakes forgivable.
'BRAND NEW STRINGS'
Ricky Skaggs & amp; Kentucky Thunder
(Skaggs Family)
sss Praise the Lord, Ricky Skaggs has finally found the courage to climb out from under the shadow of bluegrass' Mount Rushmore -- Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and the brothers Stanley.
Skaggs has been one of the top acts in bluegrass since he crossed back over from country in 1998. But in his efforts to keep the old sounds alive, he wasn't breaking much new ground.
And a lot of fans were waiting for Skaggs to step out on his own and lead bluegrass into the 21st century.
Maybe it's the fact that he turned 50 this summer. Maybe Skaggs finally realized that it was time to stop being a cover band and make his own mark, so that future generations will be picking Skaggs' music as well as Monroe's.
Whatever the reason, there's not a single Monroe, Flatt & amp; Scruggs or Stanley Brothers song on this entire album. And there are four Skaggs originals!
"Sis Draper" is a hoe-down tale of an Arkansas mountain fiddler who's "got the touch." "Enjoy The Ride" says that each day is a new chance to get life right. "Lonesome And Dry As A Bone" tells of man who lost his love to fever and is having trouble surviving.
The title cut is a blazing song about a lonely picker who falls in love with a waitress and starts playing like a man possessed. "Spread A Little Love Around" says to stop and smell the roses.
Skaggs wrote three instrumentals -- "1st Corinthians 1:18," "Appalachian Joy" and "Monroe Dancin"' -- as well as the song, "My Father's Son."
Good album. Great new direction.
'ALWAYS OUTNUMBERED, NEVER OUTGUNNED'
The Prodigy
(Maverick)
ss 1/2 What a buzz kill.
The Prodigy's Liam Howlett finally picks up where he left off with 1997's "Firestarter" -- one of electronica's biggest hits in America -- with "Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned."
The British music pioneer plunges full-throttle into a furious noisescape that piles on the abrasive energy in an apparent attempt to conceal Howlett's lack of innovation. He's not going down without a fight, however, and when he isn't reviving the electronic-punk sound that led him to glory, he's pounding listeners with relentless colossal beats, making it impossible to listen impassively.
Trouble is, he's not moving forward.
For a few tracks, at least, old fans of The Prodigy won't mind Howlett's manic cut-and-paste arrangements, even if he is going it without vocalist Keith Flint. Guest singer Juliette Lewis sizzles with a hellish go-go take on "Up Up and Away" on the track "Hotride," and the retro-propulsive intensity of "Action, Radar" is a hardcore riptide.
Other listener-friendly moments (for those with a friendly reaction to electric punk) include the staticky grinder "Girls" and the dirtier, sweatier "More Girls," plus a "Shoot Down" that fuses a rumbling loop to the exasperated vocals of Liam Gallagher (of Oasis).
Yet "Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned" abounds with tracks in which Howlett doesn't seem to know where to go or how to stop. There's no shortage of rowdy mayhem with these cuts -- from the piercing missile effects of "Memphis Bells" to the hip-hop-infused "Get Up Get Off" -- yet their directionless chaos is tiring.
'WELCOME TO WOODY CREEK'
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
(Dualtone)
sss A new album by these veterans of the country music scene is a time to rejoice. Since their three wildly successful "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" releases plowed new ground by mixing old and new artists, they continue to be innovative while not straying from their roots.
Individually, the voices of these five artists are good, but not exceptional. Together, however, it's another matter as the gorgeous harmonies paint their word pictures amidst some of the finest instrumental work heard anywhere.
"Woody Creek" flows with a dozen songs that show their breadth of talents both singly and as a group. Whether on a new creation such as "Jealous Moon," a soothing, introspective ballad, or a bluegrass-y update of John Lennon and Paul McCartney's "Get Back," NGDB shows no fear in stretching the envelope.
Not every number is a success as the album embraces elements of rock and pop along with the country and folk, but there's plenty of good music here to make a trip down "Woody Creek" a worthwhile ride.